MADINAH, 19 July 2005— Defects in Madinah’s pedestrian bridges have reached a critical level. Lack of maintenance or repair to damage combines with poor design to make some of them life-threatening. A brief survey carried out by Arab News uncovered some of the examples.
Most of the bridges visited shared one common defect; the side safety fences were very low, easily climbable and not much of a barrier to adventurous children. Some of the bridges are located close to schools — for example ones over King Fahd Road and Al-Salam Road.
Many residents feel the bridges are death traps and accidents may happen. They call on the Madinah municipality to fix the problems before someone dies.
Arab News visited the bridge over King Fahd Road near a girls’ elementary school. The bridge was in good condition with exception to the low fences on both sides of the walkway. During school times, scores of students use the bridge to cross over the street.
Arab News interviewed Muhammad Al-Oufi, a frequent user of the footbridge.
“The bridge is a headache because children from the school sometimes throw rocks down on passing cars,” he said. “I do not think it is safe because the fences are one meter high. Any child could climb the fence. The municipality should have been more aware that any bridge near a school should be at least 2 meters high.”
On the bridge over one of the busiest streets in Madinah, Al-Salam Street, there are even more terrible defects that could put the lives of people and children in danger.
Eight substantial gaps in the side rails allowed an unprotected view down on the busy street directly below. The holes are wide enough for an adult man to squeeze through.
Abdulwadood Muhammad Saeed who lives near the bridge said: “Every day people use this bridge to cross the street that separates us from the next neighborhood. I prefer to risk crossing the street below than using the bridge. Many people have already died crossing Al-Salam Road and many people will die if the municipality does not fix this pedestrian bridge. He felt the municipality should fix the fences and put some lights on the bridge because people were scared to cross over the bridge at night.
“When people walk over the bridge, they feel the bridge shaking. They should fix it for the sake of students who cross the bridge every day.”
The situation was even worse with the pedestrian bridge over King Abdul Aziz Road. Three weeks ago a young Saudi man tried to commit suicide by climbing up onto the edge of the bridge. Police were on alert for many hours before people managed to rescue him.
The bridge over the airport road was severely damaged when a truck with high cargo hit the bridge virtually destroying it. The bridge remained in an unsafe condition for three months without any attempt from the municipality to fix it.
A shop-worker in a nearby store told Arab News that students are back to crossing the road on foot. “It is because this bridge was closed after two students died, a boy and a girl. I do not know what they are waiting for. They should do something and fix it now.”
